Jack Wall (Kildare South, Labour)
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Question 409: To ask the Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism if he will provide a list of the semi-State companies who availed of the partnership art purchase scheme facilitated by the Arts Council in the 1950s and 1960s; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6492/07]

Jack Wall (Kildare South, Labour)
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Question 410: To ask the Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism the number of paintings or pieces of art acquired under the partnership arts purchase scheme facilitated by the Arts Council in the 1950s and 1960s by Aer Lingus or other State agencies; the number of such paintings or pieces that remain in public ownership and can be accounted for or if such payments were paid to the Arts Council for the sale of the outstanding items of the collection; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6493/07]

Jack Wall (Kildare South, Labour)
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Question 411: To ask the Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism if all pieces of art purchased under the arts partnership scheme of the Arts Council in the 1950s and 1960s by semi-State bodies and local authorities can be accounted for; if not, the steps he has taken or proposes to take in the public interest to seek the return of such pieces; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6496/07]

Jack Wall (Kildare South, Labour)
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Question 412: To ask the Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism if he will publish the report that the Arts Council commissioned at his request to prepare a full inventory of works of art purchased by semi-State bodies and local authorities under the arts partnership scheme of the 1950s and 1960s of the Arts Council; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6497/07]

Jack Wall (Kildare South, Labour)
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Question 414: To ask the Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism the number of paintings or pieces of art acquired under the partnership arts purchase scheme facilitated by the Arts Council in the 1950s and 1960s by Irish Shipping; the number of such paintings that remain in public ownership and can be accounted for or if such payments were paid to the Arts Council for the sale of the outstanding items of the collection; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6499/07]

John O'Donoghue (Kerry South, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 409 to 412, inclusive, and 414 together.

The Arts Council is a statutory body under the aegis of my Department, and is the principal channel through which State support is directed to the arts. Promotion of the arts at all levels throughout the country is primarily devolved to the Council, which, although funded by my Department, is independent in relation to day-to-day operational matters such as those referred to by the Deputy. Indeed, the Arts Act, 2003, underpins the Council's independence in this context while the management of the scheme in question is entirely a matter for the Council; I have raised these issues with the Council.

Jack Wall (Kildare South, Labour)
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Question 413: To ask the Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism the number of paintings or pieces of art acquired under the partnership arts purchase scheme facilitated by the Arts Council in the 1950s and 1960s by the Great Southern Hotel group; the number of such paintings that remain in public ownership and can be accounted for or if such payments were paid to the Arts Council for the sale of the outstanding items of the collection; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6498/07]

John O'Donoghue (Kerry South, Fianna Fail)
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I refer the Deputy to my replies to the House to Questions number 26924/06 and 27235/06 on 6th July 2006, Question number 35071/06 on 26th October 2006 and to Question number 5546/07 on the 15th February last.

The Arts Council is a statutory body under my Department's aegis, and is the principal channel through which State support is directed to the Arts.

The Council operates independently of my Department. It is understood from the Council that there are 143 works in the CIE collection, which were jointly funded under the Arts Council's Joint Purchase Scheme. An examination by the Arts Council of its records identified all of the works which CIE had purchased between the 1950s and the 1970s. Refunds had been paid in respect of four of the works, two of which were returned, one which was given on retirement to a staff member and one which had apparently been stolen. At the time of the examination 46 works remained with CIE and were not in the possession of the Dublin Airport Authority or the Great Southern Hotels.

In September 2006 91 works were transferred by the Dublin Airport Authority into the care of the OPW. Ten of these works were not purchased under the scheme. I have designated the Crawford Art Gallery Cork, which is now a national cultural institution, under the aegis of my Department, as the home gallery of this Collection. It is understood from the Dublin Airport Authority that this collection of 91 works constituted all such works in the possession of the (former) Great Southern Hotels.